Disrupting flight charge dropped against Ore. man

The Associated Press

The U.S. government has agreed to drop a charge against an Oregon man who was accused of interfering with a Hawaiian Airlines jetliner crew.

The Oregonian newspaper reports that under an agreement signed Tuesday by a federal magistrate, the charge will be dropped if 57-year-old Joseph H. Johnson, of Salem, successfully completes a six-month diversion program. That includes writing an apology to the airlines and his fellow passengers.

The FBI says Johnson was flying from Portland to Maui, Hawaii, on Jan. 6 when he handed a flight attendant a comment card that asked "what if the plane ripped apart in mid-flight." The pilot became alarmed and returned the Boeing 767 to Portland.